Output shaft of a vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle output shaft includes a torque transmission shaft, a drive-side end which is connected to a differential by way of a differential-side joint, and an output-side end which is connected to a driven wheel of the motor vehicle by way of a wheel-side joint, as well as at least one torsional vibration damper. The torsional vibration damper is arranged in a series circuit between the torque transmission shaft and at least one of the joints.

Claims

1. A vehicle output shaft, comprising: a torque transmission shaft having an axis of rotation; a drive-side end which is connected to a differential by way of a differential-side joint; an output-side end which is connected to a driven wheel of a motor vehicle by way of a wheel-side joint; and at least one torsional vibration damper, the at least one torsional vibration damper comprising an inner ring which is fixedly connected to one end of the torque transmission shaft and coaxial with the axis of rotation, and an outer ring which is formed coaxially around the inner ring and axis of rotation, the inner ring and the outer ring being rotatable relative to each other; wherein the at least one torsional vibration damper is arranged in a series connection with the torque transmission shaft and with at least one of the differential-side or wheel-side joints; and, wherein the inner ring comprises at least two spiral springs which are arranged in a circumferential direction relative to the axis of rotation, and are supported on the outer ring.

2. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 1, wherein the at least one torsional vibration damper comprises at least one hydraulic damper element.

3. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 2, wherein the outer ring has at least one cavity which extends along the circumference of the at least one torsional vibration damper, is filled with damping fluid and has at least one constriction, by which constriction damping takes place during a relative rotation of the outer ring with respect to the inner ring.

4. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 3, wherein the constriction comprises a gap, and a size of the gap is selectively.

5. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 3, wherein the number of cavities is equal to the number of spiral springs.

6. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 3, wherein the spiral springs comprise a hardness or spring rate such that a wall of the cavity does not strike against the inner ring.

7. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 1, wherein the at least one torsional vibration damper is formed rotationally symmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation, with a uniform distribution of mass.

8. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 1, wherein the outer ring is part of a housing of the wheel-side and/or of the differential-side joint.

9. A vehicle output shaft, comprising: a torque transmission shaft having an axis of rotation; a drive-side end which is connected to a differential by way of a differential-side joint; an output-side end which is connected to a driven wheel of a motor vehicle by way of a wheel-side joint; and at least one torsional vibration damper, the at least one torsional vibration damper comprising an inner ring which is fixedly connected to one end of the torque transmission shaft and coaxial with the axis of rotation, and an outer ring which is formed coaxially around the inner ring and the axis of rotation, the inner ring and the outer ring being rotatable relative to each other; wherein the at least one torsional vibration damper is arranged in a series connection with the torque transmission shaft and with at least one of the differential-side or wheel-side joints; and, wherein the at least one torsional vibration damper comprises at least one hydraulic damper element.

10. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 9, wherein the inner ring comprises at least two spiral springs which are arranged in a circumferential direction relative to the axis of rotation and are supported on the outer ring.

11. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 9, wherein the outer ring has at least one cavity which extends along the circumference of the at least one torsional vibration damper, is filled with damping fluid and has at least one constriction, by which constriction damping takes place during a relative rotation of the outer ring with respect to the inner ring.

12. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 11, wherein the constriction comprises a gap, and a size of the gap is selectively adjustable.

13. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 11, wherein the spiral springs comprise a hardness or spring rate such that a wall of the cavity does not strike against the inner ring.

14. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 9, wherein the at least one torsional vibration damper is formed rotationally symmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation, with a uniform distribution of mass.

15. The vehicle output shaft according to claim 9, wherein the outer ring is part of a housing of the wheel-side and/or of the differential-side joint.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows an example of an output shaft according to the invention of a vehicle in a side view of the output shaft.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a cross section through an exemplary torsional vibration damper from FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(3) FIG. 1 depicts part of an output shaft of a vehicle, which output shaft comprises a torque transmission shaft 1. The torque transmission shaft 1 connects a driven vehicle wheel 12 (illustrated generally) to a differential 11 (illustrated generally) by means of a wheel-side joint 13. The differential 11 is connected here to the torque transmission shaft 1 via a differential-side joint 2.

(4) In addition, the output shaft comprises a torsional vibration damper 3, which is arranged as a series connection with the torque transmission shaft 1 and the differential-side joint 2.

(5) FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view A-A through the torsional vibration damper 3. The latter here comprises an inner ring 4 and an outer ring 5 surrounding the inner ring 4. The inner ring 4 is connected here fixedly or for conjoint rotation to the torque transmission shaft 1. The inner ring 4 and the outer ring 5 are connected to each other so as to be rotatable relative to each other about the axis of rotation D of the torque transmission shaft 1. The inner ring 4 here is not necessarily annular, but is formed at least approximately completely in its cross section. The inner ring is nevertheless referred to below as the inner ring 4, even if the inner ring is not annular (as can also be seen in the drawings). The same also applies to the outer ring 5.

(6) Furthermore, the inner ring 4 comprises a plurality of spiral springs 6 arranged in the circumferential direction U of the inner ring 4. The spiral springs, like the rest of the torsional vibration damper 3, are arranged rotationally symmetrically to one another.

(7) During a relative movement between the inner ring 4 and the outer ring 5, the torsional rigidity of the torque transmission shaft 1 is determined by the spring rate of the spiral springs 6. For this purpose, the spiral springs 6 are arranged supported on the outer ring 5. The spaces in the inner ring 4 for the arrangement of the spiral springs 6 interrupt the mentioned completeness of the inner ring 4.

(8) The torsional vibration damper 3 furthermore comprises hydraulic damping. This hydraulic damping is formed by a plurality of cavities 7 which extend along the circumference U of the torsional vibration damper 3 and are filled with hydraulic fluid 10. These cavities 7 are formed by a suitable arrangement of the inner ring 4 with respect to the outer ring 5. In each cavity 7, there is a constriction or a gap 8 through which the hydraulic fluid 10 flows during a relative rotation of the outer ring with respect to the inner ring 4, 5 and thus causes speed-dependent damping. Depending on the size of the gap 8, a different damper rate can thus be set.

(9) It is alternatively also possible for the size of the gap 8 or for the diameter of the gap 8 to be actively changed such that different damper properties depending on the situation can be achieved. For this purpose, a semi-active valve 14 (denoted by an X) or similar is conceivable.

(10) In this case, the size of the gap 8 is selected here in such a manner that torsional vibrations in the range of between 10-15 Hz are damped.

(11) Furthermore, as already mentioned and as can be seen in the two figures, it is preferably provided that the torsional vibration damper 3 is formed rotationally symmetrically per se such that it is not possible for mass non-uniformities to occur in the torque transmission shaft 1.

(12) It is furthermore provided, as can be seen in FIG. 1, that the outer ring 5 of the torsional vibration damper 3 simultaneously constitutes the housing 9 of the differential-side joint 2. A torsional vibration damper 3 of a vehicle output shaft is therefore shown, the torsional vibration damper being integrated in the joint 2 and advantageously having vibration-damping properties and also taking on the torsional rigidity function of the torque transmission shaft 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(13) 1 Torque transmission shaft 2 Differential-side joint 3 Torsional vibration damper 4 Inner ring 5 Outer ring 6 Spiral spring 7 Cavity 8 Gap 9 Housing 10 Hydraulic fluid 11 Differential 12 Driven wheel 13 Wheel-side joint 14 Semi-active valve A Intersecting axis D Axis of rotation U Circumferential direction